The Calgary Flames promising 2016-17 season ended in a blink of an eye, as the Anaheim Ducks swept them with ease in the opening round of the playoffs. If there’s any consolation prize, it’s that their first round selection will be somewhere between 16th and 20th.
On second thought, it isn’t much of a consolation prize. The 2017 NHL Draft figures to be one of the most disappointing in recent years, as TSN’s Bob McKenzie broke down in September:
So why should the Flames believe that they’ll find an NHL-ready player in a draft that is strongly deprived of possible franchise players?